Joab Tells David to Speak to His Servants

1Then it was told to Joab, “Behold, the king is weeping and mourns for Absalom.” 2And the salvation that day was turned to mourning for all the people, for the people heard it said that day, “The king is grieved for his son.” 3So the people stole away to enter into the city that day, as people who are dishonored steal away when they flee in battle. 4But as for the king, he wrapped his face up. Then the king cried out with a loud voice, “O my son Absalom, O Absalom, my son, my son!” 5Then Joab came into the house to the king and said, “Today you have shamed the faces of all your servants, who today have provided escape for your life and the lives of your sons and daughters, the lives of your wives, and the lives of your concubines, 6by loving those who hate you, and by hating those who love you. For you have informed all of us today that [†]princes and servants are nothing to you; for I know this day that if Absalom were alive and all of us were dead today, surely then it would be right in your eyes. 7So now, arise, go out and speak to the heart of your servants, for I swear by Yahweh, if you do not go out, surely not a man will pass the night with you, and this will be of greater evil for you than all the evil that has come upon you from your youth until now.”

David Returns to Jerusalem

8So the king arose and sat in the gate. And they told all the people, saying, “Behold, the king is sitting in the gate.” Then all the people came before the king.

Now Israel had fled, each to his tent. 9And it happened that all the people were disputing throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, “The king delivered us from the [†]hand of our enemies and provided us escape from the [†]hand of the Philistines, but now he has fled out of the land from Absalom. 10However, Absalom, whom we anointed over us, has died in battle. So now, why are you silent about having the king return?”

11Now King David had sent to Zadok and Abiathar the priests, saying, “Speak to the elders of Judah, saying, ‘Why are you the last to have the king return to his house, while the word of all Israel has come to the king, even to his house? 12You are my brothers; you are my bone and my flesh. Why then should you be the last to have the king return?’ 13And say to Amasa, ‘Are you not my bone and my flesh? May God do so to me, and more also, if you will not be commander of the army before me continually in place of Joab.’” 14Thus he inclined the hearts of all the men of Judah as one man, so they sent word to the king, saying, “Return, you and all your servants.” 15The king then returned and came as far as the Jordan. And Judah came to Gilgal in order to go to meet the king, to cause the king to pass over across the Jordan.

16Then Shimei the son of Gera, the Benjamite who was from Bahurim, hurried and came down with the men of Judah to meet King David. 17Now there were one thousand men of Benjamin with him, with Ziba the young man of the house of Saul, and his fifteen sons and his twenty servants with him; and they rushed to the Jordan before the king. 18Then they kept passing over the ford to cause the king’s household to pass over, and to do what was good in his sight. And Shimei the son of Gera fell down before the king as he was about to pass over the Jordan. 19So he said to the king, “Let not my lord consider me guilty, nor remember what your servant did wrong on the day when my lord the king went out from Jerusalem, so that the king would [†]take it to heart. 20For your servant knows that I have sinned; therefore behold, I have come today, the first of all the house of Joseph to go down to meet my lord the king.” 21But Abishai the son of Zeruiah said, “Should not Shimei be put to death for this, because he cursed the anointed of Yahweh?” 22David then said, “What have I to do with you, O sons of Zeruiah, that you should this day be an adversary to me? Should any man be put to death in Israel today? For do I not know that I am king over Israel today?” 23And the king said to Shimei, “You shall not die.” Thus the king swore to him.

24Now Mephibosheth the [†]son of Saul had come down to meet the king; and he had not done anything for his feet, nor done anything for his mustache, nor washed his clothes, from the day the king departed until the day he came home in peace. 25Now it happened when he came from Jerusalem to meet the king, that the king said to him, “Why did you not go with me, Mephibosheth?” 26So he answered, “O my lord, the king, my servant deceived me; for your servant said, ‘I will saddle a donkey for myself that I may ride on it and go with the king,’ because your servant is lame. 27Moreover, he has slandered your servant to my lord the king; but my lord the king is like the angel of God, therefore do what is good in your sight. 28For all my father’s household was nothing but men worthy of death before my lord the king; yet you set your servant among those who ate at your own table. What right do I have yet that I should [†]complain anymore to the king?” 29So the king said to him, “Why do you still speak of your affairs? I have [†]decided, ‘You and Ziba shall divide the land.’” 30And Mephibosheth said to the king, “Let him even take it all, since my lord the king has come in peace to his own house.”

31Now Barzillai the Gileadite had come down from Rogelim; and he passed over the Jordan with the king in order to send him off over the Jordan. 32Now Barzillai was very old, being eighty years old; and he had [†]sustained the king while he stayed at Mahanaim, for he was a very great man. 33And the king said to Barzillai, “You pass over with me and I will [†]sustain you in Jerusalem with me.” 34But Barzillai said to the king, “How long [†]have I yet to live, that I should go up with the king to Jerusalem? 35I am [†]now eighty years old. Can I know between good and bad? Or can your servant taste what I eat or what I drink? Or can I hear anymore the voice of singing men and women? Why then should your servant be an added burden to my lord the king? 36Your servant would merely pass over the Jordan with the king. Why should the king compensate me with this reward? 37Please let your servant return, that I may die in my own city near the grave of my father and my mother. However, here is your servant Chimham, let him pass over with my lord the king, and do for him what is good in your sight.” 38So the king answered, “Chimham shall pass over with me, and I will do for him what is good in your sight; and whatever you [†]require of me, I will do for you.” 39Then all the people passed over the Jordan and the king passed over too. The king then kissed Barzillai and blessed him, and he returned to his place.

40Now the king went on to Gilgal, and Chimham went on with him; and all the people of Judah and also half the people of Israel [†]accompanied the king. 41And behold, all the men of Israel came to the king and said to the king, “Why had our brothers the men of Judah stolen you away, and caused the king and his household and all David’s men with him to pass over the Jordan?” 42Then all the men of Judah answered the men of Israel, “Because the king is a close relative to [†]us. Why then [†]are you angry about this matter? Have we eaten at all at the king’s expense, or has [†]anything been taken for us?” 43But the men of Israel answered the men of Judah and said, “[†]We have ten parts in the king, therefore [†]we also have more claim on David than you. Why then did you treat us with contempt? Was it not [†]our word first to have [†]our king return?” Yet the words of the men of Judah were harsher than the words of the men of Israel.